Electric feeler mechanism for looms



May 17, 1938. s Q D D 2,117,304

ELECTRIC FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed June 15, 1957 fiv'z jemof'ffihjer wood, 0.170 \J.

Patented May 17, 1938 PATENT oFFicE ELECTRIC FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMSSherwood 0. Dodge, Medford, Mass., assignor to .Guaranteed Parts, Inc.,Allston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 15,1937, Serial No. 148,287

8 Claims.

members and metal sleeve or coating form a part,

are sometimes objected to because of the presence l}. of the circuitclosing member upon the bobbin and the possibility that sparks may begenerated by reason of the engagement of the contact members with saidcircuit closing member which might injure the filling and cause thelatter to break befor replenishment. Metal sleeves, furthermore, 20often become loosened from the bobbin by reason of a shrinkage of thewood of which the bobbin is constructed, and a metallic coating upon thebobbin may be easily damaged by careless handling of said bobbins.

The object therefore of this invention is to provide an electric feelermechanism embodying therein a structure which permits the electriccircuit to be closed at the bobbin without requiring the presence of acircuit closing member or material upon said bobbin, thereby eliminatingthe bobbin from the electric circuit.

The invention consists in an electric feeler mechanism as set forth inthe following specification and particularly as pointed out in theclaims thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a feeler mechanismembodying my invention, together with a portion of a bobbin or fillingcarrier with the filling thereon, the electric contact or feeler memberscontacting with said filling, and the electric circuit being openbetween said members.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the feeler mechanism with the electric contactor feeler members thereof contacting with a bobbin upon which the n11-ing is substantially exhausted, thereby causing the electric circuitthrough the device to be closed between said contact members.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the feeler mechanism.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the outer or detecting end portion ofthe flexibleelectric contact or feeler member.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of an alternate type of contact orfeeler member.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawing.

In the drawing, referring particularly to Figs. 5 1 to 4 inclusive, 6represents a bracket which is rigidly secured to a stud 1 or othersuitable member'forming a part of the frame of a loom by means of ascrew 8. A sleeve 9 is rotatably secured to the top of the bracket 5 bymeans of a 10 screw Ni, and a feeler mechanism II embodying therein acasing l2 constructed of insulating material is rigidly secured to thesleeve 9 by being clamped against a shouldered portion l3 thereof bymeans of a nut M. The casing l2 and sleeve 9 when clamped together maybe rocked in unison upon the bracket 6 through a horizontal plane.

Yieldingly mounted in a similar manner in the casing l2 are electriccontact or feeler members l5 and I6 which are positioned in parallelrelation to each other and spaced a short distance apart. Each feelermember is mounted to slide in a bearing portion ll of the casing I2 anda metal bushing IS, the portion l1 forming a bearing for the frontportion of the feeler member and the bushing l8 forming a bearing forthe rear portion of said feeler member. Each feeler member has ashouldered portion 19 formed integral therewith located within a recessprovided in the casing l 2, and a spring 2| surrounds the rear pormannerupon a bobbin 23 as illustrated in Fig. l,

or with the surface of the bobbin itself when the filling has becomesubstantially exhausted therefrom as illustrated in Fig. 2. It isintended that the feeler mechanism of this invention shall be utilizedin connection with a bobbin having a body portion which is constructedentirely of wood. The electric contact or feeler member l6 embodiestherein a straight rod similar to that of which the feeler member I5 isformed, but shorter in length, a tip portion 24, and an intervening 5Oclosed coil helical spring 25; and the novelty in this invention residesin the construction of the tip portion 24 and means which permits saidtip portion to contact at its outer extremity with the filling 22 whichis wound around the bobbin 23 as illustrated in Fig. 1, and to slidealong the smooth bare periphery of said bobbin into contact with thefeeler member I5 when the filling has become substantially exhaustedfrom said bobbin as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The feeler tip 24 is approximately 8 shaped in formation, beingreversely bent at 26 and 21 to form a loop 28, and terminating in atapered portion; and said feeler tip is secured to the helical spring 25and the latter is secured to the rod I6 as disclosed in Patent No.1,791,557 granted to me and dated February 10, 1931, and to whichreference may be had if it is so desired. A guide member 29 of U shapedformation and constructed of insulating material is secured to the bentportion 21 of the feeler tip 24 by means of a rivet 30 which passesthrough the loop 28, and said guide member extends from said feeler tip24 around the contact member I5 laterally in a manner to guide thefeeler tip 24 into contact with the contact member I5 as illustrated inFig. 2 when the filling is nearly exhausted from the bobbin. Under theseconditions a direct electric contact is made between the tip 24 of thecontact member I6, and the contact member I5.

The source of electric current is connected to the device by wires 3|and 32 which are attached to the bushings I8 in which an end of thecontact members I5 and I6 are mounted to slide.

During the operation of the device if there is interference of any kindtending to rock the feeler mechanism in either direction through ahorizontal plane upon the pivot screw ID, the moment that the feelermechanism is free from this interference, it will be automaticallyreturnedto its normal position by means of a helical spring 33 mountedin a recess 34 provided in the top surface of the bracket 6, said springengaging the tip portion 35 of a screw 36 which is mounted in the casingI2 and which projects between adjacent convolutions of the spring in amanner to return the casing to its normal position from either di--rection.

The general operation of the device hereinbefore specifically describedis as follows: During alternate beat-up movements of the lay a shuttlewith a bobbin 23 mounted therein will be located at the plain end of thelay as the latter reaches the limit of its beat-up stroke. At this timeif there is plenty of filling 22 located upon the bobbin 23, when thecontact members I5 and I6 are engaged by the filling said contactmembers will yield within the casing I2 in a well-known manner, and thetip portion 24 of the contact member IE will remain in its normalposition spaced apart from the contact member I5 as illustrated in Fig.1, and the electric circuit will be open therebetween. When, however,the filling becomes substantially exhausted from the bobbin 23 thesmooth bare wood surface of said bobbin will contact with the extremityof the tip portion 24 and cause the helical spring 25 to bend, with theresult that the extremity of said tip portion 24 will slide along thesurface of the bobbin into contact with the contactmember I5 to closethe electric circuit between the contact members I5 and I6 withoutincluding the bobbin in the electric circuit. The tip portion 24 isguided into contact with the contact member I5 by means of the guidemember 29 which is constructed of insulating material. The closing ofthe electric circuit will cause a suitable mechanism to 'be actuated toeither stop the loom in order that the bobbin 23 may be replacedmanually, or to cause the actuation of a bobbin replenishing mechanism,whereby the bobbin is replaced automatically. 7

During the interval that the electric contact members are in engagementwith the filling 22, if there is a movement of the bobbin which willtend to rock the feeler mechanism as a whole in either directionlaterally through a horizontal plane, this rocking movement will occurwithout injuring the filling or causing unnecessary strain to either thecontact members or their respective bearings.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a modified embodiment of the invention inwhich a contact or feeler member I6 is provided with a tip portion 3'!which terminates in an arcuate portion 38 provided with a plurality ofteeth or notches 39 which are adepted to engage the filling upon abobbin, or with the peripheral surface of said bobbin, when the fillingis substantially exhausted therefrom. In other respects, the tip portion31 is exactly like the tip portion 24 previously described and functionsin exactly the same manner.

I claim:

1. In an electric feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of asupport having an insulating material embodied therein, two feelermembers spaced apart laterally in said insulating material and botharranged to engage the filling upon a bobbin during va detecting beat,one of said feeler members having an independently movable end portionembodied therein arranged to contact with the other feeler member toclose an electric circuit therebetween when engaged by the bare surfaceof a substantially exhausted bobbin.

2. In an electric feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of asupport including an insulating medium, an electric circuit including apair of feeler members spaced apart side by side in said insulatingmedium and both arranged to engage the filling upon a bobbin during adetecting beat, one of said feeler members having an independentlymovable end portion embodied therein arranged to contact directly withthe other feeler member to close the electric circuit therebetween whenengaged by the bare surface of a substantially exhausted bobbin.

3. In an electric feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of asupport of insulating material, two feeler members positioned side byside and separated one from the other upon said support and botharranged to engage the filling upon a bobbin during a detecting beat,one of said feeler members having a flexible end portion embodiedtherein arranged to tip laterally into contact with the other feelermember and thereby close an electric circuit therebetween when engagedby the bare surface of a substantially exhausted bobbin.

4. In an electric feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of asupport of insulating material, two feeler members spaced apart side byside in said support and both arranged to engage the filling upon abobbin during a detecting beat, one of said feeler members having alaterally movable end portion embodied therein arranged to contactdirectly with the other feeler member and thereby close an electriccircuit therebetween when engaged by the bare surface of a substantiallyexhausted bobbin, and means to guide said movable end portion during itslateral movements.

5. In an electric feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of asupport including an insulating medium, a rigid feeler member and aflexible feeler member positioned apart side by side in said insulatingmedium and both arranged to engage the filling upon a bobbin during adetecting beat, said flexible feeler member having a laterally yieldabletip portion embodied therein arranged to bend into contact with therigid feeler member to close an electric circuit therebetween whenengaged by the bare surface of a substantially exhausted bobbin.

6. In an electric feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of asupport having an insulating medium embodied therein, a rigid feelermember and a flexible feeler member spaced apart laterally in saidinsulating medium and both arranged to engage the filling upon a bobbinduring a detecting beat, said flexible feeler member embodying thereintwo parts, spaced apart longitudinally and flexible means interposedbetween said parts permitting a lateral movement of one relatively tothe other and into contact with the rigid feeler member to close anelectric circuit between the flexible and rigid feeler members when saidmembers are engaged by the bare surface of a substantially exhaustedbobbin.

7. In an electric feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of asupport including an insulating medium, a rigid feeler member and aflexible feeler member spaced apart in said insulating medium and botharranged to engage the filling upon a bobbin during a detecting beat,said flexible feeler member embodying therein two rigid parts spacedapart, and a helical spring securing said parts together and permittinga lateral movement of one relatively to the other and into contact withthe rigid feeler member to close an electric circuit between theflexible and rigid feeler members when said members are engaged by thebare surface of a substantially exhausted bobbin.

8. In an electric feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of asupport including an insulating medium, a rigid feeler member and aflexible feeler member spaced apart by said insulating medium and botharranged to engage the filling upon a bobbin during a detecting beat,said flexible feeler member embodying therein a rigid body portion andrigid tip portion spaced apart longitudinally, and flexible meansinterposed between said body and tip portions permitting a lateralmovement of said tip portion into contact with said rigid feeler memberto close an electric circuit between the rigid and flexible feelermembers when said members are engaged by the bare surface of asubstantially exhausted bobbin, and means to guide said tip portionduring its lateral movements.

SHERWOOD 0. DODGE.

